Safety belt buckle



2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY) F. D. KEELING SAFETY BELT BUCKLE .H I--- M m :i- H w r #3 4 M D U D I, M 2 $1 a a 0 I L 5 v. w w m 2;. A m I L a .y W i .Tx 25% My my y A W 2 5 .1 I.. m: F F

Sept. 20, 1966 Filed Sept. 14, 1964 p 0, 1966 F. D. KEELING SAFETY BELT BUCKLE 2 sheets -sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1964 m mE mvmon 5250 DA v/o /(554//v9 United tates Patent dice 3,273,214 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 3,273,214 SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Fred David Keeling, Cincinnati, ()hio, assignor to Irving r Chute Company, Inc., Lexington, Ky., a corporanon of New York Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,051 4 Claims. (Cl. 24230) This invention relates to improvements in fastening buckles, more particularly utilized in connection Wlih safety seat belts.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved seat belt buckle which will admit of vastly increased tensile pull before rupture, due to an improved arrangement of coupling parts.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved seat belt buckle having coupling parts which will admit of quick and facile opening of the-buckle parts, for release purposes.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the buckle in closedposition having the seat belt webbing attached thereto in adjustable relation at one end and showing the tongue plate attached thereto and to the webbing of the belt at the opposite end.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the buckle shown in FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken through the buckle and belt webbing substantially on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, showing the belt buckle in closed condition.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view showing the parts of FIG. 3, but with the latch operating lid or lever in Opened position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the buckle with the lid or lever opened.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing a torsion spring for normally maintaining the lid closed.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective exploded view of the buckle parts and tongue plate.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention,

the letter A may generally designate the buckle. It includes a casing which consists of a base B, pivoted latching dog C, latching dog operating lid D, :belt clip or tongue plate E to which an end of the webbing F is attached. The webbing F at the opposite end of the buckle is provided with a knurled webbing bar G, adapted to be attached to the base B. A webbing cover H is provided at the bar G end of the base.

The base B preferably comprises bottom wall 10, having right angled parallel side walls 11 and 12 at opposite margins thereof. The buckle parts are preferably made of stamped metal but may be made of other materials. At its rear portion the bottom wall is provided with a transverse opening 13 adapted to receive the adjustable end of the belt webbing F. The side walls 11 and 12 are provided with elongated slots 14 and 15 which are slightly inclined. These slots 14 and 15 are adapted to receive the reduced flattened ends 16 of the webbing bar G. Such bars are old in the art and are intended to receive the adjusting end of the webbing F; the ends of the webbing F being extended through the slot 13 and wrapped around the than G. The inclination or slope of the slots 14 and 15 is such that under tension the webbing F will pull the bar G in the direction of the lower ends of the slots 14 and 15 and clamp the webbing at its adjustable end against the forward edge of the slot 13, as is shown in FIG. 3.

The latching dog C preferably comprises a plate portion 20 having right angled flanges 21 and 22 at opposite sides thereof. The dog C is pivoted upon a pin 24, the ends of which bear in the openings 25 and 26 provided in the flanges 11 and 12 (see FIG. 8) of the base B. Flanges 21 and 22 are provided with openings 27 and 28, as shown in FIG. 8. It will be noted that the end 30 of the pivot pin 24 is redticedin diameter and relatively short to provide a shoulder 31 adapted to rest against the inside surface of the flange 11 to prevent endwise movement of the pin 24 at said flange. The pin 24 is provided with a peripheral slot 32, at its opposite end adapted to receive a lock washer 33 which may be sprung into place in the slot 32 and rest against the inside surface of th flange 22 in order to hold the pin 24 against endwise movement.

The latching dog plate 20 is supported in the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 upon the pin 24 so that the plate 20 thereof is spaced at 35 from the inside surface of the base wall 10. Through this space 35 the webbing clip or tongue E is adapted to be slipped into and out of latching positions.

- It will be noted from FIG. 8 that the front end of the plate 20 is centrally provided with a downwardly inclined ramp 36. That is, it is downwardly inclined when the buckle is closed as shown in FIG. 3, and it is normally spring-urged into such position as will be subsequently described. The front end of the latching dog plate 20 is furthermore provided with an inverted stirrup 37 curved upwardly and rearwardly as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and defining an opening 38 facing the ramp 36 adapted to receive a lifting cam of the latch lid or cover D for the purpose of lifting the latching dog upwardly against its spring action to the position shown in FIG. 4. It will be noted that this stirrup 37 lies entirelyforward of the front edge 40 of the latching dog base 20.

The latch lid or cover member D includes a top plate portion 45, having depending ears or flanges 46 on the front end thereof apertured at 47. This lid D is pivoted on an axle or pin 48, the ends of which bear in openings 49 in the base flanges 11 and 12 at a location entirely forwardly of the latching dog structure C.

The lever plate on its under surface, forwardly thereon, is provided with a member 50 apertured at 51 to receive the axle 48. This member 50 is provided with a stirrup lifting cam projection 52 at the lower rear portion thereof adapted to move in the opening 38 of the inverted stirrup 37 in the relationship of parts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, assuming the latching lever or lid D to be closed, as shown in FIG. 3, the projection 52, if the lid is now opened, will engage against the cross bar of the stirrup and lift the latching dog C to the position shown in G. 4.

A torsion spring 55 is disposed co-axial with the pin 48 having an end 56 which fits in a groove 57 provided on the axle 48. The spiral torsion spring at its opposite end is provided with a radial extension 58 with an outturned end 59, as shown in FIG. 8. This outtumed end 59 is adapted to fit in an opening 60 provided on a rib 61 intergral with the latch lid. The spring is assembled under tension and normally urges the lid or lever to the closed position, such as shown in FIG. 3.

A dog tensioning spring 60 is provided for the purpose of normally forcing the latching dog C to the downward position shown in FIG. 3. This dog tensioning spring comprises spring convolutions 61 in spaced relation which extend about the hinge pin 48; the convolutions 61 having extending ends 62 which normally bear against the underside of the lid or cover D. The tension spring 60 furthermore includes a U-shaped portion 64 extending from and as a part of the convolutions 61 of a width such as will enable the same to project through the stirrup opening 38 and lie upon-the upper side of the ramp 36 as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The convolutions 61 are under tension and normally bias the latching dog to the position shown in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that the webbing tongue or clip E comprises a thin flat body portion 70 without projections. It has a slot 71 at one end to receive the webbing F and at its inner end it has a transverse opening 72 adapted to receive the ramp projection 36. It must be emphasized that the tongue E is perfectly flat and admits of easy insertion into the passageway 35 without fumbling, directly in sliding contact with the inside surface of the base plate 12 and without the necessity of lifting the lid or cover or any part thereof; the mere act of insertion enables the tongue E to assume the position shown in FIG. 3, at which time the tension spring 55 will cause the ramp 36 of the latching dog to drop into the tongue opening 72 and lock the tongue or clip 70 to the buckle.

All that it is necessary to do in order to release the tongue from the buckle is to lift the lid D to the position shown in FIG. 4. The lifting member 50 will cam the stirrup 37 to the position shown in FIG. 4 and thus lift the ramp 36 out of obstructing relation with the opening 72 of the tongue E.

The web cover H includes a top plate portion 80 with right angled depending side flanges 81 and a front drop flange 82. The flanges 81 lie at the inside of the flanges 11 and 12 of the base B and their rear ends are slotted at 83. The axle 48 is provided with kerfs 86 to receive the slots 83. This holds the axle 48 in position against endwise movement and also because of the torsion spring 55 the sockets 83 engaging in the kerfs 86 urge the web cover H to a closing position.

Because of the novel arrangement of parts the buckle is very strong because of proper distribution of stresses incident to shock, with complete assurance of quick and facile release.

Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety belt buckle construction the combination of a base portion, including a bottom wall and upstanding side walls, means at the forward end of the base portion for adjustable attachment of a safety belt thereto, a latching dog pivoted on the side walls adjacent the other end of the base, said dog comprising a plate portion positioned between the side walls, said plate portion at its forward end having a downwardly inclined dog-type ramp there-on, said latching dog being pivoted so that the plate thereof at its bottom surface is spaced a short distance from the top surface of the bottom wall, a flat belt attaching tongue having an opening therein, said tongue being of such thickness as to enable it to he slipped through said space between the latching dog plate and base bottom wall and when further inserted to ride be- ,neath the ramp and lift the latching dog until the ramptype dog drops into the opening of the tongue plate, lid

means pivoted on said base side walls forwardly of said latching dog, means on the lid adjacent its pivot c0mpris ing a (ram extension, and means on the latching dog against which the cam extension engages as the lid is raised to lift the latching dog and its ramp out of engagement in the opening of the tongue plate.

2. A safety belt buckle as described in claim 1 in which spring biasing means is provided normally urging the latching dog downwardly itoward said base bottom wall and the lid to a closed position.

3. In a safety belt buckle structure the combination of a base, including a bottom wall and side walls, a latching dog pivoted on the rear of the base including a bottom portion extending forwardly having a downwardly extending locking projection, a lid pivoted on the side walls of the base forwardly of the latching dog, a belt attaching tongue having an opening therein, said tongue being adapted to be slipped into the base above the bottom wall and beneath the latching dog to the point where the latching dog projection will drop into the opening of said latching tongue, spring means normally biasing said latching dog to the position last mentioned, and means on the latching dog and lid for raising the latching dog as the lid is opened to remove the dog from the opening of said locking tongue comprising an inverted stirrup mounted on the forward end of the latching dog having an opening therein and the lid having a projecting cam operating under the stirrup and in the openingof the stirrup to normally lift the same and the latching dog therewith as thelidisopened. t I

4. In a safety belt buckle construction the combination of a base portion, including a bottom wall and upstanding side walls, means at the forward end of the base portion for adjustable attachment of a safety belt thereto, a latching dog pivoted on the side walls at the other end of the base, said dog comprising a plate portion positioned between the side walls having a downwardly inclined ramp thereon, said latching dog being pivoted so that its bottom surface at its pivoted end is spaced a short distance from the top surface of the bottom wall, a flat belt attaching tongue having an opening therein, said tongue being of such thickness as to enable it to be slipped through said space between the latching dog plate and base bottom wall and when further inserted to ride beneath the ramp and lift the latching dog until the dog drops into the opening of the tongue plate, a member pivoted on said base side Walls forwardly of said latching dog having a cam extension thereon movable in an arcuate path and located eccentric to the pivot axis of the said member, and a forward extension on the latching dog against which the cam extension engages as the member on which it is mounted is arcuately moved to lift the latching dog and its ramp out of the opening of said tongue.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,013,317 12/1961 Weber. 3,170,211 2/1965 Van Noord. 3,189,966 6/1965 Craven. 3,226,79 1 1/1966 Carter.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,334,209 6/ 1963 France.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SAFETY BELT BUCKLE CONSTRUCTION THE COMBINATION OF A BASE PORTION, INCLUDING A BOTTOM WALL AND UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS, MEANS AT THE FORWARD END OF THE BASE PORTION FOR ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT OF A SAFETY BELT THERETO, A LATCHING DOG PIVOTED ON THE SIDE WALLS ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF THE BASE, SAID DOG COMPRISING A PLATE PORTION POSITIONED BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS, SAID PLATE PORTION AT ITS FORWARD END HAVING A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED DOG-TYPE RAMP THEREON, SAID LATCHING DOG BEING PIVOTED SO THAT THE PLATE THEREOF AT ITS BOTTOM SURFACE IS SPACED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE TOP SURFACE OF THE BOTTOM WALL, A FLAT BELT ATTACHING TONGUE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, SAID TONGUE BEING OF SUCH THICKNESS AS TO ENABLE IT TO BE SLIPPED THROUGH SAID SPACE BETWEEN THE LATCHING DOG PLATE AND BASE BOTTOM WALL AND WHEN FURTHER INSERTED TO RIDE BENEATH THE RAMP AND LIFT THE LATCHING DOG UNTIL THE RAMPTYPE DOG DROPS INTO THE OPENING OF THE TONGUE PLATE, LID MEANS PIVOTED ON SAID BASE SIDE WALLS FORWARDLY OF SAID LATCHING DOG, MEANS ON THE LID ADJACENT ITS PIVOT COMPRISING A CAM EXTENSION, AND MEANS ON THE LATCHING DOG AGAINST WHICH THE CAM EXTENSION ENGAGES AS THE LID IS RAISED TO LIFT THE LATCHING DOG AND ITS RAMP OUT OF ENGAGEMENT IN OPENING OF THE TONGUE PLATE. 